you. This is
my mother's name, Jean Constance Irving, can it be possible she was
your little Jeannie?"

* * * * *

A fortnight later Miss Channing received a letter from Constance.

"I am so happy," she wrote. "Oh, Miss Channing, I have found 'mine own
people,' and Heartsease Farm is to be my own, own dear home for
always.

"It was such a strange coincidence, no, Aunt Flora says it was
Providence, and I believe it was, too. I came here one rainy night,
and Aunty put me in my mother's room, think of it! My own dear
mother's room, and I found her name in a book. And now the mystery is
all cleared up, and we are so happy.

"Everything is dear and beautiful, and almost the dearest and most
beautiful thing is that I am getting acquainted with my mother, the
mother I never knew before. She no longer seems dead to me. I feel
that she lives and loves me, and I am learning to know her better
every day. I have her room and her books and all her little girlish
possessions. When I read her books, with their passages underlined by
her hand, I feel as if she were speaking to me. She was very good and
sweet, in spite of her one foolish, bitter mistake, and I want to be
as much like her as I can.

"I said that this was _almost_ the dearest and most beautiful thing.
The very dearest and most beautiful is this--God means something to me
now. He means so much! I remember that you said to me that he meant
nothing to me because I had no human love in my heart to translate the
divine. But I have now, and it has led me to Him.

"I am not going back to Taunton. I have sent in my resignation. I am
going to stay home with Aunty and Uncle. It is so sweet to say _home_
and know what it means.

"Aunty says you must come and spend all your next vacation with us.
You see, I have lots of vacation plans now, even for a year ahead.
After all, there is no need of the blue pills!

"I feel like a new creature, made over from the heart and soul out. I
look back with shame and contrition on the old Constance. I want you
to forget her and only remember your grateful friend, the _new_
Constance."

Ida's New Year Cake

Mary Craig and Sara Reid and Josie Pye had all flocked into Ida
Mitchell's room at their boarding-house to condole with each other
because none of them was able to go home for New Year's. Mary and
Josie had been home for Christmas, so they didn't really feel so badly
off. But Ida and Sara ha